Morris Daily Herald
COAL CITY, Ill. — Charges have been dropped against an off-duty Coal City firefighter who was arrested Sunday for allegedly looting and taking cigarettes from a tobacco store damaged by the tornado.
Michael W. Barrow, 24, of Coal City, is a part-time, on-call firefighter for the Coal City Fire Protection District, department spokesman Nick Doerfler said.
The department was notified about 5 p.m. Monday that the charges were dropped, Doerfler said.
At about 4 p.m. Sunday deputies with the Will County sheriff’s deputies were in the area of Route 113 and Interstate 55 setting up security for areas that had been damaged by the tornado, according to an email from Kathy Hoffmeyer of the Will County Sheriff’s Office.
One of the businesses damaged was the Stop and Smoke Tobacco Shop at 3010 W. Route 113 in Diamond.
A man and woman were observed exiting a pick-up truck in a field near the back of the tobacco store and the truck left the area.
The pair left the back of the store and the deputy made contact with the male who had dropped two packs of cigarettes while being followed by the officer.
The deputy brought him to the command center where they spoke with him and found 15 packs of cigars and cigarettes on him, according to Hoffmeyer.
Barrow was held on probable cause for allegedly looting, said Charles Pelkie, spokesman for the Will County State’s Attorney’s Office, but there was not sufficient evidence to move forward with charges.
Doerfler said Barrow has family who lives in the area of the tobacco shop.
Barrow was not on duty during the incident and has not been on duty during the tornado recovery.
“We are still getting his side of the story,” Doerfler said.
Barrow remains on paid administrative leave while the fire department finishes its investigation into the matter, Doerfler said.
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